Glen Coldham

Glenn Coldham

Past President 2012-2017
CBAFF Committee member 28 years (since 1994) - Life Member

My career commenced with New Zealand Customs in 1982, and then I “jumped ship” to the dark side in 1987 with Perrot & Partners Limited as a Customs Broker.

I have been involved in many exciting projects in my time as a Customs Broker but the most rewarding and mind boggling was managing the Customs Import and Re Export requirements for the nineteen visiting teams for the 2011 Rugby World Cup team gear and equipment, alongside providing the same services for the Volvo Ocean Race in the same year.

I made the decision to have a change in direction in 2019 taking on a Project role managing Procurement and International Supply Change for the Link Alliance City Rail Link infrastructure project. My International Freight apprenticeship lasted thirty-seven years.

In my current role, I manage Procurement and Supply Chain at Link Alliance being New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure and am helping build the new underground rail link in Auckland. An amazing statistic to me was the fact this project alone has had over one thousand international shipments of equipment and materials at a total weight of almost ten million kilograms in the five years I have been here, not to forget a million-kilogram Tunnel Boring machine system!

I am a huge proponent of expressing gratitude to those people who have helped me along the way in my life and career. We don’t get there on our own and if you work hard and stand by your principles then you can only hope this is recognised for further opportunities. I believe I am the same person I was when I entered the industry and whilst we all experience life’s challenges more than we would like, these all help to shape you and build your resilience.

Technology is the greatest game changer I have seen taking me from handwritten entries through to virtual work-flow systems that link all parts of the chain to provide the best result to the client. A lot of the fun seems to have gone unfortunately as we no longer have physical interactions “at the counter” like we did and the frequent get togethers at the local Aviation Club for a liquid Friday lunch or the Britomart Tavern to get an urgent clearance approved.

I very much enjoyed the camaraderie and friendships that developed over my career. I also enjoyed making the difference for our customers to provide great service and to sometimes just achieve the odd miracle. Good friends and great memories last forever.

My advice to young people considering a career in the industry - work hard, set yourself high standards, be flexible and prepared to take your opportunities. Be respectful but also do not be afraid to speak up when you see the need for change and/or improvement.

This industry needs to be strong and ethical.